Interest in doubling the growth rate of corals?

[Sloth]

Didn't read the whole post yet, but would halmedia be similarly affected by the chemical? That might make a cheap test subject.

*shrug*

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

but would halmedia be similarly affected by the chemical?

Thanks. I do not know what calcifying organisms are most likely to be effected. It was developed based on how corals calcify, but it might work on other organisms (or not).

[benj2112]

Sounds like a very interesting product.

I don't know if I can do this, but can I put this on a different message board and see what people say?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I don't mind where it gets posted, but remember that I'm not yet claiming that it works and is safe.

[benj2112]

Thanks! I will make that very clear.

[MiddletonMark]

And they need to wait in line here behind all of us to be `beta-testers'. Or so I hope, I've got a frag tank just looking for this sort of experiment

[Florida Reefer]

I'd be interested in it for a grow out tank for frags. I don't think I would put it in my main tank though. Actually at times I wish there was something to slow the growth in the main tank to keep things from crowding each other.

[Doppler]

Originally posted by MiddletonMark
And they need to wait in line here behind all of us to be `beta-testers'. Or so I hope, I've got a frag tank just looking for this sort of experiment

I wanna be the Master-Beta

[coralsandbar]

Lol!

[sahin]

Originally posted by Doppler
I wanna be the Master-Beta

[cmiannay]

Randy,

As a fairly new reefer, these are my thoughts:

1.) Personally, I would not want my corals to grow faster in my show tank. Half of the fun of our tank is buying things small, and watching them grow. If you accelerate the growth, then my time of "fun" is shortened because a full, finished look is achieved faster. I am usually the one who wants things to happen fast, but not in this case.

2.) On the other hand, when we get to the point of fragging corals to make available for others (either selling or giving away), this would be a great product to use in a separate tank.

3.) Also, due to the increased productivity of home-grown corals, I can see where it would have a very positive impact on the rate of destruction of the natural reefs around the world.

So my final vote would be to say "Go for it!"

Cathy

[my2girls]

Randy, I'll buy the first bottle. If it can grow corals, can it re-grow my hair?

[john f]

I for sure want it!!!!!!!!!


To those people who want slower growing corals.......Kudos..........and get a bigger tank!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just put a few frags into my 1000 and let me tell you.....fast growth or not, it's gonna take a few YEARS before they look like much.


John

[Frick-n-Frags]

I actually wouldn't mind more fragile, less dense skeletons, especially on Acros. That would be great if Acros broke like Montis.
Fragging hefty Acros flat out sucks.

Then again, maybe Montis would just fall apart

[culdublvd]

Sounds like it would be great. Kinda like fulvic or humic acids on Tomatoe plants.

BTW fulvic and humic acids are supposed to help plants in nutrient uptake. Kinda like Randy's magic product does with corals and calcium and alkh.

[Nolan]

Randy I'm in for sure.

YES! Pursue this for those of us who cannot and you may turn the hobby upside down...Change the industry forever? We could develop a species list reping those corals that are common and collect only those that are new and stop waisting wild specimens once and for all! How would this product work to help rejuvinate the depleted reefs of the world? Too many positive potentials to not pursue this.

Go Bro!

[alanseah]

if it work and safe I dont mind paying for it and ask for shipping over to Asia...

[jaefei]

I will buy for me and all of my friends in my country ?
when you launch it,Randy ????
I wait your PM.

[carpetride]

any updates?

[skireef]

What would be really interesting would be if the "Randy's Lavetra" (I thing that is the growth one) could be targeted to a specific coral or area in the tank, sort of like food. I suspect that as a "chemical" additive, it will just mix in the water column.

[PRC]

I think this would be great to get a new reef tank started and could be of huge benefit to the aquaculture industry. Anything that would reduce the cost of getting frags to salable sizes I'm sure would be a major hit in the business. It would also reduce the necessity to take corals from wild reefs, another major benefit.
I personally would have no problem with doubling growth rates in my show tank since I put everything in as frags and shortening the time it takes for them to get to "show" size from a year or more to six months would certainly not detract from the pleasure of getting to watch them grow. It's not as if I'd come home one night and find a fully matured tank from what was frags that morning. Once the tank is matured then it would obviously be a different story. But then there's always another tank, right...?

[easttn]

So your suggesting that coral are not primarily autotrophic (can produce 100% of its nutritional requirement independently), but rather there is a large untapped possibility of them to recieve energy from non-symbiotic sources, other than light?

Coral are efficient predators capable of capturing and consuming primarily zooplankton prey. Is there a possibility of a greater food source?

You are hinting at the answer to a puzzle (I hope) that has bothered me for a while. If the calcification rate of corals is enhanced by the photosynthetic activity of zooxanthellae, why does the white tip of stony corals (which lack zooxanthellae) grow so quickly? The only answer I can come up with is ATP (ATP is a basic fuel of cellular metabolism), yes? The high concentration of ATP in these white tips provids the coral polyps the vitality to maintain the energy output required to sustain high calcification rates in the absence of photosynthetic activity. The issue is getting the "product" distributed throughout the colony, and not just the tips. If this is in the ballpark, how would the the coral's zooxanthellae chase the tip?

If the above is true, have you been able to determine the active transport mechanisms for movement of products from one polyp to another in our cnidarians?

I'm just guessing Randy, hope to see the results of your tests whichever way it goes.

[newty]

easttn,

in that sense, perhaps he constructed a molecule, compound, synthesized a protein that would go around this inhibition, speed up cellular proliferation, increase regenerative rates, etc. there are a lot of methods, at the molecular scale, to modify genetic development and normal physiology. are you saying that there is a resevour of ATP in the tips? and this product would enhance growth by influencing ATP metabolism? that means that you would need increased energy production (more ATP production), but as you said, to make more ATP it means that corals must intake an alternative energy source. it could very well be that the role of ATP is paramount here, but i have a hard time believing that. however, i know nothing about corals, their development and such (my knowledge base is primarily on molecular factors of mice and salamander development).

i am interested in this hypothesis, and think that it would be a nice experiment to carry out. it may even be publishable in a scientific journal!

newty.

[easttn]

Originally posted by newty
easttn,

are you saying that there is a resevour of ATP in the tips? and this product would enhance growth by influencing ATP metabolism?

I'm only asking.

Originally posted by newty

however, i know nothing about corals, their development and such

Me either.

Originally posted by newty

i am interested in this hypothesis, and think that it would be a nice experiment to carry out. it may even be publishable in a scientific journal!

newty.

Published and patented if Randy"s on the mark.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

any updates?

No, I've been on vacation the past 2 1/2 weeks.

Lots of interesting speculation to read, however.